


The Pirate and the Thief

by terminator



Category: Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, First Meetings, Friendship, Gen, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 17:16:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11189703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/terminator/pseuds/terminator
Summary: Balthier finds himself in the curious world of 'Spira', somehow. Hopefully this hyper Al Bhed girl can help him find some answers.





	The Pirate and the Thief

**Author's Note:**

> This is a small piece I wrote and posted on Spiran @ Dreamwidth 5 years ago titled, 'The Sky Pirate and the Al Bhed'. It was never meant to be a mere one-off; rather, I had hoped for a few episodes with these two, but never got around to it. I've done some corrections and altered it a bit, but here it is again, tidied up.

A band of dancing pyreflies become the fallen _Iron Giant_ after a single penetration by a measly Onion Shot. Balthier stands at a fair distance, watching the beast fade into a world unknown to himself. A sigh escapes his lips as he rests his weapon — the low-ranking Altair — on his shoulder.

"Hardly a victory," the sky pirate mumbles to himself. He has found that the beasts in this world require very little effort to defeat. Why, it's almost no fun at all. Even the oddly familiar ones, such as the recent _Malboro_ , are no match for this pirate. 

"Nice shot!" A bubbly voice belonging to a very young-sounding girl suddenly squeaks from behind him. Balthier turns to spot the blonde — whom is seemingly unable to stand still — hardly covered by bright colours and limited fabric. The fashion here is not quite like anything he's encountered in Ivalice before, and this girl sports an especially memorable garment. 

"Buuut the fiends here on the Highroad are nothin'." The mystery girl props her knuckles on her hip, leaning in such a way that is guided with sloppiness. Yet, this stance holds a certain confidence to it that forces the memory of an old friend on Balthier; one he hopes to soon reunite with. 

A smirk forms itself upon his face when he drops his gun down to his side, "seems that way."

Her boots drag across the dirt as she starts toward him with a smug smile, the cuteness in her shuffle almost making up for the cocky attitude her grin wears. "They're all pretty much easy-as-pie by now," she scoffs. "For the _Gullwings_ , anyway." She stops just before him, with that stance making another appearance, and Balthier is given the chance to really peer into the unnamed girl's eyes. _The Humes here are an odd bunch... should they even be Humes at all_ , he thinks to himself when he notices the swirly mixture of pupil and green iris in her visual organ's possession. 

"'Gullwings'?" He repeats, decorating his tone with question. "Can't say I'm familiar. Not that I am with anything around these parts," he raises an eyebrow, "or any _one_ , for that matter." 

The girl tilts her head and a beat passes by before she catches his hint. "Oh!" She lights up, "uh, Rikku!" Her hips sway at her name. "Pleased to meet'cha! Er-- mister...?" 

"-- _Balthier_ ," he slips his name in quickly. "Please." 

"Balthier?" There's that head tilt again, this time paired with a lip purse and wandering eyes at his own unusual sense of style, "so... you're not from here, are ya?" She scratches her head and slouches, her demeanor becoming solemn - though, most likely temporary. 

The sky pirate shakes his head in response, "not from here." He gestures behind him where the path leads back, "nor there," then stares out ahead of him. "Figure I'd keep true. But, this road does take its time ending." 

Rikku props a dainty finger on her chin. "I wonder if Sin's toxin can last this long on someone..." 

"...'Sin'?" 

"Yeah," a quick nod and a shift in her version of somber behavior from mere moments before. "He's a big baddie who could never really disappear, even after each Final Summon." Balthier raises an eyebrow at such a term, but figures he'd best let the girl continue.

"Yep, it was a never-ending cycle. That is, until Yunie kicked his butt for good two years ago." 

"Hm. Two years, eh? That's quite the tale." It seems anywhere has their 'big baddies'. Balthier strokes his chin, "though I've barely been here a full _two days_." 

Rikku furrows her brows in thought, her eyes shifting when she searches her own mind. "Ummm...?" 

There's a pause for as long as Balthier is amused by the girl's puzzled expression, but it doesn't quite last, for he feels he's got no time to waste. "No sense in hurting yourself." He wears a small, amused smile as he sticks his weapon in its sheath behind him. He begins onward and manages to make it several steps ahead before Rikku curiously attempts to stall him. "H-hey!" There's stomping, but she doesn't move from her spot. "Where are you going?!" 

He continues walking, the smirk now out of her own sight but never fading from his lips. "Why, I'm headed toward..." he stops for a moment, staring ahead, "well, we'll just have to see, I suppose." Then continues on.

Rikku chases after him in a quick walk. Balthier stops yet again, this time prompted by the sound of her boots scraping the dirt, and, after several steps, she stops as well, close behind him. He can't quite guess at her intentions just yet, but she seems to have some knowledge and history stored away in her curious mind. With this, at least, she may come to use, as he barely knows enough here to form proper questions. Besides, what's an adventure without a partner? Especially one such adventure that is sure to deal a hand of a surprise or two. The girl as well has already proven to possess some natural haste.

A long moment passes as they both stand, the pause welcoming the sounds of wind passing the grass, and a distant roar of a fiend. 

"So." The sky pirate slowly turns to face her. "You can fight, can you?"


End file.
